Portable multiple power supply comprising solar cell

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a type of portable emergency power supply for use when storage batteries of mobile appliances such as cellular telephones, radios, camcorders, laptops and mini cassette players are discharged or become unusable. In particular, by utilizing solar cells, the present invention can supply power to mobile phones, laptops and mini cassette players and other devices during the daytime when the sun shines. The present invention provides a portable multi-voltage power source device that is capable of generating various levels of power voltages for diverse appliances requiring different electric voltages. The present invention includes at least one solar cell plate formed of a plurality of solar cells connected to each other and a power source selection unit to select one of a plurality of voltages by coupling the positive and negative poles of the connected solar cells in selected fashions. A portable case holds the solar cell plates, the power source selection unit and a power connection portion therein.

DESCRIPTION TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a portable emergency power source touse when storage batteries of mobile appliances, such as, cellularphones, laptops and mini cassette players, are discharged or becomeunusable; and more particularly to a multi-voltage power sourceutilizing solar cells to generate a various level of power voltages fordiverse appliances with different required electric voltages.

BACKGROUND ART

As electronic technology develops, portable personal appliances likecellular phones, laptops and mini cassette players are commonly used andpeople frequently fall into a situation where batteries of their devicesare discharged, and fail to obtain power at a time of necessity. Thispower supply problem has called for a new storage battery that lastslong and also one that satisfy the tendency of minimization of devices.So, solutions to both conditions have been suggested.

Meanwhile, Motorola U.S.A. has attempted to provide emergency power tomobile phone batteries by using a solar cell plate attached at the backof a storage battery of a mobile phone, which eventually failedcommercially due to fragility of solar cells that have to be directlyattached on batteries and become easily damaged.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide amulti-voltage power source device utilizing solar cells, which are freefrom deformation and damages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-voltagepower source device utilizing solar cells, which can be carried outseparately from an appliance in use and then connected to it againeasily.

It is further anther object of the present invention to provide amulti-voltage power source device utilizing solar cells producing avarious level of power voltages with just simple handling, therebyapplying it to mobile appliances whose required voltages are differentfrom each other.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a portable multi-voltage power source device, for selectivelygenerating various levels of power sources comprising: at least onesolar cell plates for molding a plurality of unit modules, each of theunit modules including a first electrode, a second electrode and anumber of solar cells which are connected to each other in series; apower selection unit for outputting various levels of power sources byconnecting a first and a second electrodes of one unit module to a firstand a second electrodes of another unit module in parallel or in seriesand combinations thereof; and a portable case for incorporating thesolar cell plates and the power selection unit therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 roughly shows a portable multi-voltage power source device of anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows the formation and the connection of a solar cell plate;

FIGS. 3 to 5 show how contact points of solar cell unit modules areconnected in order to select various levels of power voltages;

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of operating switch to select power voltages;

FIGS. 7 and 8 show various embodiments of a portable multi-voltage powersource device; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a multi-voltage power source device that adopted ashape of a card.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a structure of a portable multi-voltage power source devicein accordance with a preferred embodiment. According to the embodiment,the device is made up foldable just like a wallet or an electronicscheduler, which can be carried out separately from portable appliances,then connected and used at one's need and convenience.

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention comprises at least one solarcell plate 110, a power source selection unit 120 to select one or moreamong possible power voltages, a power connecting portion 130 forconnecting power voltages selected from the selection unit 120 to mobileappliances and a portable case 140 incorporating thereinto the solarcell plates 110, the power source selection unit 120 and the powerconnecting portion 130 for carrying out.

Each of the solar cell plates 110 includes a plurality of solar cells101 which are arranged in the form of matrix. The possible powervoltages are obtained by coupling positive and negative terminals of thesolar cells 101 in certain combinations.

FIG. 2 is a constitution of a solar cell plate 110 of the presentinvention, which describes the polar connection of each cell. As shownin FIG. 2, the solar cell plate 110 consists of four unit modules 105,each of which 105 includes four solar cells 101 connected to each otherin series. Both positive and negative poles of each unit module areconnected to contact points of power source selection unit 120.

In the process of wiring on the array of solar cells 101 for easyportability and packaging or modeling, the present invention adoptedtransparent, heat-resistant polymers, which make it lighter, smaller andstronger to physical impacts from outside.

The solar cells 101, e.q., a semi-conductor element for generating apower source, directly convert sunlight energy into direct currentelectric power in daytime when the sunlight illuminates the solar cells101. In case of a silicon solar cell, each solar cell generatesapproximately 0.5V of electromotive force, and the generated currentincreases in proportion to the sunlight, a solar cell size and thenumber of parallel connection. Thus, power voltage in need can beobtained by connecting cells in series and/or parallel, as shown in FIG.2.

In a bid to embody both serial and parallel connections of solar cellson the cell plate 110 in versatile ways, the present invention installspower source selection unit 120 inside a portable case 140. An exampleof the embodiment and its principle will be described hereinafter.

FIGS. 3 to 5 show how to make required power source of appliances in useat the power source selection unit 120.

In power source selection unit 120 are formed contact pointscorresponding to positive and negative poles of each unit module of asolar cell plate—which shown as ⊕ and ⊖ in the drawings. So, the powervoltage in need can be obtained by properly connecting each contactpoint of power source selection unit 120, as shown in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 3A to 3D show wiring distributions to obtain operating voltages,e.q., 1.2˜1.5V, 3.0˜3.6V, 4.0˜4.8V, 6.0˜7.2V, respectively, from a solarcell plate 110. Let's suppose the required voltage of a mobile applianceis 6V. When we connect all of the four unit modules in series, thesupplied charging voltage reaches 6.7˜7.7V, which is adequate for themobile appliance, even considering the voltage drop effect caused by areverse current protection diode. In the same way, a voltage for minicassette players is commonly 3V. A battery charging voltage of 3.4˜3.8Vcan be obtained by connecting each two unit modules of a solar cellplate in series respectively and then combine the two unit sets inparallel. In case of devices using 1.5V, the required voltage can beobtained by connecting all unit modules of the cell plate in parallel.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A and 5B show how to connect each contact point in caseyou need to get voltage higher than 6V, using more than two solar cellplates. After all, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention, the structure of the powersource-selection unit 120 allows users to freely select voltages thatvary on the basis of 1.5V corresponding to each unit module.

Meanwhile, in case the voltage generated from solar cells 101 is notsatisfactory, you can prevent the electric loss caused by flowingreverse current from a storage battery into solar cells 101, by makingreverse current protection diode as shown in FIG. 3. One thing to havein mind is that voltage drops at the reverse current protection diode150, because the diode 150 and solar cells 101 are connected in series.So you have to select a diode whose voltage drops less in order tominimize the loss. Also, to prevent overcharging a storage battery, youcan add an extra circuit. Besides the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention where power sources vary at an interval of 1.5 volt,it is still possible to embody power sources varying at 2.0V intervalscorresponding to increase the number of solar cells in series using leadacid batteries—that is, 2V, 4V, 6V, etc. And also, it is possible toapply to Ni-Cd battery and Lithium ion polymer batteries under 1.2Vintervals corresponding to decrease the number of solar cells in series.

As shown in FIG. 6 which embodies contact points of power sourceselection unit 600, 602, 604 with simple handling, it's convenient touse ordinary contact point switch 650 as shown in FIG. 6A, in case youselect two or three voltages. When you need to select voltage more thanthree, it's better off to use cylindrical revolving contact point switch652 shown in FIG. 6B. Also, it's still possible to select various levelsof power sources by corresponding the number of the revolving switches654 to the proportion of increase or decrease of the solar cell plates605.

Up until now is the description of an embodiment of a solar cell plate110 and power source selection unit 120 to obtain a various level ofpower voltage thereafter.

In the meantime, in the process of supplying the obtained power voltageto appliances in use, electric wire needs to be kept comfortably insidea small portable case. For that, you can use a semi-automatic revolvingreel. Having two contact points of ⊕ and ⊖ separated at the end of thewire, it's possible to connect various kinds of terminals apt forappliances just by assembling, thus realizing connections in line withterminals that vary to appliances.

For easy portability, the present embodiment installs a solar cellplate, power source selection switch, or power source selection unit,and semi-automatic revolving reel, or power connecting portion, insidethe portable case 140, which can be folded like an electronic scheduler.So, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the case with a solar cell plate builtinside is made up to be folded with the help of hinges 200, and aterminal connection component 220 is kept in this folding part so thatthe terminal connection component 220 can be easily kept and carriedout. Furthermore, as FIG. 7 shows, the multi-voltage power source deviceof the present invention can be formed in various shapes according tothe uses, by equipping another case sheet with a solar cell plate to theelectric scheduler or a calculator. Or you can make cases that areone-fold, one-fold and two-unfold, two-fold one-unfold, two-fold andone-unfold and so forth. Also possible are cases shaped like a wallet, acard and the like as well as one like an electronic scheduler above.Particularly, with minimized volume, card-shaped cases can be carriedout in your wallet just like a credit card, and used by simply beingattached to a hat, on a shoulder or a bag.

FIG. 9 illustrates a multi-voltage power source device that is adoptinga shape of a card. Just as a wallet shape of the device, card-likedevice also comprises a solar cell plate 910, a power source selectionunit 920, a power connecting portion 930 and a portable case 950. Anovercharge protection circuit 940 is depicted separately in FIG. 9.

As explained above, the portable multi-voltage power source device ofthe present invention can be carried out in a light portable case wheresolar cells are built in separately from a storage battery of anappliance in use, for instance, a mobile phone. Furthermore, as solarcells are molded with flexible transparent heat-resistant polymers,although the solar cell plate goes broken, it does not lead to thedamage of the mobile phone. In particular, being able to obtain avarious level of power voltage with just simple handling, themulti-voltage power source device can be used for any appliancesrequiring direct current voltage, such as, mobile phones, mini cassetteplayers, radios, stereos and laptops. In order to downsize the device,wires to mobile apparatuses are kept wound to a semi-automatic reel forconvenience. Also, the wire and terminals are embodied separately likevolts so that the user can easily adjust and connect various types ofterminals according to the apparatus in use.

As described above, the portable multi-voltage power source device ofthe present invention supplies emergency power to storage batteries ofmobile phones, mini cassette players, stereos, radios, and laptops whenpeople are remote from home, having difficulty to access power sources,by charging portable batteries in daytime when the sun lights, or bydirectly attaching it to appliances you want to use when batteries aredischarged. Particularly when attached to an electronic scheduler orsomething, the multi-voltage power source device can be utilized as aportable power source with extra functions. Also, the multi-voltagepower source device of the present invention can be applied for avariety of appliances requiring different power voltages, as it'sdesigned to generate a various level of power voltages.

The spirit of the present invention has been described in the preferredembodiment above, but one thing to remind is that the above embodimentis not for limitation but for just explanation. Also, experts of thefield will normally be able to understand that a variety of embodimentsare available in the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable multi-voltage power source device forselectively generating various levels of power, comprising: at least onesolar cell plate that holds a plurality of unit modules, each of theunit modules including a first electrode, a second electrode and aplurality of solar cells which are connected to each other in series; apower selection unit that outputs the various levels of power byconnecting a first and a second electrode of one unit module to a firstand a second electrode of another unit module in parallel, in series andin at least one combination of series and parallel; and a portable casethat incorporates the at least one solar cell plate and the powerselection unit.
 2. The portable multi-voltage power source device ofclaim 1, wherein the number of unit modules in each solar cell plate isfour.
 3. The portable multi-voltage power source device of claim 2,wherein the power selection unit includes a cylindrical revolvingcontact switch and first and second power source terminals which arecoupled with the cylindrical revolving contact switch.
 4. The portablemulti-voltage power source device of claim 3, wherein the various levelsof power include: a first level obtained by connecting the four unitmodules in parallel; a second level obtained by connecting two sets ofunit modules in parallel and connecting the unit modules in series ineach set; a third level obtained by connecting the four unit modules inseries; and a fourth level obtained by connecting three of the four unitmodules in series.
 5. The portable multi-voltage power source device ofclaim 1, wherein each solar cell plate comprises a transparent andheat-resistant polymer.
 6. The portable multi-voltage power sourcedevice of claim 1, wherein the power selection unit further includes anelement that prevents a solar cell output from flowing back to the solarcell.
 7. The portable multi-voltage power source device of claim 6,wherein the element is a diode.
 8. The portable multi-voltage powersource device of claim 1, wherein the power selection unit furtherincludes a protection circuit to prevent the at least one solar cellplate from being overcharged.
 9. The portable multi-voltage power sourcedevice of claim 1, wherein the portable case is configured so as to befoldable by at least one hinge.
 10. The portable multi-voltage powersource device of claim 1, wherein the portable case is in the form of acard.